Ignition system for explosion-engines.



R. VARLEY.

IGNITION SYSTEM FOR EXPLOSION ENGINES.

APPLIUATION FILED OCT. -1, 1906.

Patented Nov. 3, 1908.

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IIIII amen/[Soc 3 1; gin-nu R. VARLEY.

IGNITION SYSTEM FOR EXPLOSION ENGINES.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 1, 1906.

902,783. Patented Nov. 3, 1908.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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APPLICATION FILED OCT. 1, 1906.

902,783,. Patented Nov. 3, 1908.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

i/ @0000 v EI-muowiio'm 5mm CH'lozneqj a Ma j 4/ RICHARD VARLEY, FENGLEWOOD, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE AUTOCOIL COMPANY,

A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY;

IGNITION SYSTEM FOR EXPLOSIONENfG-INES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 3,. 1908..

Application filed October 1, 1906.: SeriaLINo. 336,869.:

.glewood, in the county of Ber en and State of New Jersey, have inventecertain new and useful Improvements in Ignition Systerns forEXplosion-Engines, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription.

My invention relates to an ignition system for explosion engines,- andpertains .to several features of improvement in a combined timer anddistributor of the general type employed in connection-with a single induction coil for discharging it successively in the different cylinders.I

' One of-the principal objects of the-invention is to provide a timerand distributor of the above character which is capable of use when adynamo furnishes the primary current, and when a battery furnishes theprimary current, without readjustment, or any other manipulation thanswitching into circuit the required source.

A further object of the invention is to provide asingle-meansprojectingfrom the casing for adjusting the primary currentdura tion or dwell, to'suit any special conditions; or to compensate forwear of the parts. This adjustment is furthermore secured simultaneouslyfor both dynamo or battery ignition, so that when made for either theadjustment, the time, relation, or any factor-,-,

will not be impaired .by the substitution of the other.

Additional objects are to rovide a distributing switch or flier whicis-readily removable whenever desired, and which isinsured against beingimproperly re laced when the parts are re-assembled; a so to make useof-a single vibrating leverfor securing all the above functions, andtoobtain an adjustment of the primary dwell by simply moving the primarycircuit breaking lever with relation to its 0 crating cam.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in thefeatures of construction hereinafter-set forth and claimed,

- In the drawings: Figure "1 is a sectional view of a timer andd1stributer embodying the rinciples of m invention. This section istaken on the ine II of Fi 2. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view 0the same. Fig. 3 is a top or Ian view. Fig. 4 is a sec-- tion on thellne Ii 7IV of Fig.2. Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic-view showing an-arrange-. ment of circuits which may lie-employed.

In operating. motor cars there are three factors-in the matteroftheelectric ignition which. require attention on the art'ofthedriver; Thefirst is, ofcourse, t e relation- 9f the -spark(orthe firstspark of thecascade- 1f a vibrator induction coil is used) to the engine strokexThis is constantly being variedby the usual timing leveronthnsteeringwheels The second matter: which-requiresattention is theduration or dwell ofthe -primary current. This is apt to become variedinuse by wear.- Accordmgly it is important to have means by which this isaccomplished. Lastly; itis-usual to. have two independent sources ofp'rimarycurrent, and these are fre-v quently su stituted forone another.A battery-and-a magneto ordynamo are exam les of alternative primarycurrent sources often used. It isdesirable that the shifting fromone-current source to another does not necessitate any re-positioningofthe first two named adjustments. vention- I secure all theserequisites, so that the driver may shift from one current source toanother as often as he pleases without impairinglany ofthe adjustments,and may vary t e dwell for the primary current Without interfering atall with the throw of movement of the timing lever on the. steeringwheel. 7

Referring to the drawings in which like In carrying out my in-' partsare designated by the same reference sign, 1 indicates a frame orcasing, preferably jeot upwardlythe studs 12. These studs-are Iunsymmetrical with respect to one another 'm an way, as, for example, byhaving one stud at or than the others.

Positioned on the flat ace .11 of the shaft is an insulating block 13,the upper part of which is chambered or hollowed out as shown at 14, and

- ber or insulatin material, having embedded therein or attac edthereto, a plurality of in-' ternal metallic segments 17. .These seg-'ments lie in the ath of rotation of the spring blade 15 above escribed,and constitute the terminals for connection to the various spark lu 1%indicates a thin metallic rim depending from the upper casing 16 towhich it 1s firmly secured, and serving to guide the upper casing inproper concentric relation to the lower casing 1. U

' 19 indicates screws for holding the parts 1n connected relation. 4

The to 20 of the upper casing 16 has a c lindrica guiding piece 21, inwhich is a p unger 22. 23 indicates a spring for normally impelling thisplunger downward, and the plunger thereby serves to keep the insulatingblock 13 firmly set u on the face -11 of the half-time shaft," This punger also serves as a'terminal connection for the switch blade.

of the practical construction which I employ are particularly shown inFig. 1. I

26 denotes a rimary c1rcuit breaking lever or vibrator plvoted at 27upon the easing 1, and having an arm 26 spring impelled by spring 28 tomove the lever 26 toward the cam 9.

' 29 denotes a roller on the lever 26 to engage said cam. The outer endof the lever .26 plays between two contact points which may be ofplatinum compound if desired. One of the contact. oints 30 forms part ofa sliding bar'31 guide on the stationary metallic base 32 in anysuitable way. The base 32 is fixed to the casing 1, but insulatedtherefrom by an insulating plate or block 33. Means are provided foradjusting the bar 31 slidably on the base 32, so that the position ofthe contact point 30 is varied with respect to the lever 26. This isaccomplished by a thumb wheel 34, having a stem screwthreaded at 35 intothe base 32. This stem has collars 36 which hold the bar 31 between themso that when the thumb wheel 34 is turned, it is moved in and out, andvaries Means are rovided for keeping the the position of the bar 31',and the contact point 30.

3-7 denotes a fluted part of the stem 35 which is engaged b a springimpelled plunger or detent 38 to old the parts in any adustment to whichthe may be set.

The bar 31 hasfixed thereto an insulating plug 39, and a spring blade 40is normally tensloned to bear against this plug. The blade 40 is forthis purpose mounted on a base 41, which is insulated from the casing bythe plate 42. v The blade 40 also has a contact 43, in the path of thevibrating lever 26, this contact being engaged at the opposite positionof throw from the contact 30. The contact 30 is connected to thepotential terminal of a dynamo or magneto machine, and the other contact43 is put in connection with the potential terminal of a battery. Theseconnections are made b ordinary wires leading to the base 32 and t ebase 41, as will be sufficiently obvious. The other terminals of thebattery or dynamo are, of course, rounded in the usual way on the frameor the machine.

The operation is as follows: As the half time shaft 8 rotates its cam 9impinges against the roller 29 and se arates the lever 26 from thecontact 30. T 's abruptly terminates the primary current of the dynamoor magneto, sugposing the circuit thereof is otherwise close and adisruptive discharge is produced in the secondary of the induction cellin the usual way. At'almost the same instant the lever 26 moves overinto contact with the contact point 43, establishing the batterycurrent, supposin that its c1rcuit is otherwise completed. he battetherefore o crates its induction coil whic has a tremb er, and producesa cascade discharge. Thus the spark of the dynamo ignition and the firstspark of the battery cascade ignition occur about the same time, as isrequired. If the duration of the batte cascade is not suflicient, it mayhe lengt ened by turning the thumb wheel 34, so as to move the bar 31upward in Fig. 1. This results in a longer contact between lever 26 andcontact point 43, so that .the primary circuit of the battery is closedfor 'a longer time. But this movement of contact point 43 is accompaniedby a corresponding movement of point 30, so that the relation of dynamoignition and battery ignition which is required, and as above indicated,is not disturbed by such adjustment. In other words, the timing of theexplosions in cylinders remains substantially simultaneous for batteryand dynamo, notwithstanding the movements of the thumb wheel 34. Iregard this as a very important feature of the invention, since thedriver has merely to turn the thumb wheel 34 until the right result issecured with his battery ignition, and then leave the mechanism alone.Otherwise it would be contact point 43.

necessary after having secured the proper battery ignition, tomanipulate other adjustments to compensate for the disturbance in thetiming of the dynamo ignition. In practice, the adjustment-of the thumbwheel 34 should only be made occasionally to compensate for wear.

A diagrammatic representation of the circuits is shown in Fig. 5. B isthe battery grounded at G, and including the primary N of an inductioncoil, and connected to D is a dynamo or magneto machine (which I shallterm generally a dynamo in the claims), grounded at G, and including theprimary N of an induction coil, and finally connected to the contactpoint 30. The secondaries S and S each have one terminal grounded andthe other terminal run to the spring blade or flier 15. The varioussparkplugs P, P, P and P are connected to the segments 17. A plurality ofswitches Y are included in the primary and the secondary circuits sothat either the dynamo or the battery can be used as desired. Inpractice I provide a single switch for connecting either the battery orthe dynamo as desired, and it is to be understood that any suitable ordesired switching means may be employed.

A feature of the invention relates to means for preventing cree )agecurrents within the upper casing 16. he potential of the secondarydischarge is, of course, very high, and loss may occur b reason of thecurrent creeping to groun over intervening insulators. This creepage isdue to a thin filmof moisture which gathers on all objects in humidweather. The effect is of course reduced by increasing the surface overwhich the current may creep.

In Fig. 4 I have illustrated a method of increasing the surface by thecorrugations 45,

-which are produced by vertically fluting the material of the block 16between the seg ments 17. The effect of these flutings is tosubstantially double the amount of surface over which the creepagecurrents must pass. The outer surface is also circumferentially flutedat 46'for the same purpose.

What I claim, is I 1. In an ignition system for explosion engines, adynamo circuit, a battery circuit, a vibrator, contacts in the path ofsaid vibrator for closing said dynamo circuit or said battery circuit bymovements of the vibrator.

in opposite directions, and means for simultaneously adjusting saidcontacts with res act to the vibrator but Without changing tlieirrelation to one another.

2. In an ignition system for explosion ongines, a vibrator, a pair ofcontact points respectively engaged y said vibrator in its to and fromovement and simultaneously adjustable while maintained at a fixeddistance of separation from one another.

3.. In an ignition system for explosion engines, a cam, a vibratorengaged thereby, a contact adjustable into the path of said vibrator andincluded in one prima circuit, and a spring blade su ported a fixerdistance from said contact an also in the path of said vibrator, saidspring blade lying in a separate primary circuit. 1 v a 4. In anignition system for explosion engines, a cam, a vibrator engagedthereby, and a pair of contacts in the path of said vibrator in its toand fro movement, and means for.

simultaneously adjusting said contacts with respect thereto.

5. In an ignition system for explosion engines, two separate primarycircuits, means for breaking said circuits, a casing for inclosing saidmeans, and a stem extending through the wall of the casing and arrangedto adjust the primary dwell for both of said circuits.

6. In an ignition system for explosion engines, a pair of separateprimary circuits, a single means for interrupting said circuits, acasing, and means pro ecting through said casing for simultaneouslyadjusting the dwell for both said primary circuits;

7. In an ignition system for explosion engines, a primary, circuitincluding a dynamo, a second primary circuit including a battery, meansfor interrupting said circuits, a casing, and means projecting throughthe casing for varying the dwell of said battery primary circuit withoutdisturbing the relative time of adjustment of said dynamo primarycircuit with respect to the engine stroke.

8. In an ignition system for explosion engines, a plurality of separateprimary circuits, means for interrupting said circuits, a casing, and asingle thumb Wheel projecting through said casing for adjusting theduration of the interruption of both of said primary circuits.

9. In an ignition system for explosion engines, a shell or casing ofinsulating material, and a plurality of metallic segments internallypositioned thereon, the internal walls of said shell'or casing beingcorrugated between the segments, as and for the purpose set forth.

10. In an ignition system for explosion engines, a half-time shafthaving a disk or circular plate thereon, said plate having a camintegral with the lower face thereof and extending downward, and saidplate also having a pin projecting upward from the upper. face thereof,means in the path of said cam for interrupting a circuit, and means onsaid disk and pin for establishing different circuits in a predeterminedorder.

In witness whereof, I subscribe my signature, in the presence oftwo'witnesses.

RICHARD VARLEY; Witnesses:

FRANK S. OBER, WALDO .M. OHAPIN.

